November 15, 2011 • Volume 2, Issue 23 • ISSN: 2154-3240

In This Issue

♦	Feature Article: Strategic Holiday Partying
♦	Ask Amanda: Do I have to attend the company’s holiday party?
♦	Practical Tips: Manage First Impressions

Strategic Holiday Partying

The holidays give you a chance to interact with a wide variety of people many of whom you rarely see. Leverage these opportunities to increase your network, uncover new opportunities, and expand your thinking. Having a game plan will help you stay focused, reduce your stress, and allow you to achieve your goals while having fun.

Decide in advance what you’d like to accomplish at holiday parties beyond having a good time. Be specific because it will help you direct your actions. Perhaps you want to meet 5 people who are connected to an industry you’re interested in. Or maybe you want to practice stating your unique point-of-difference with 10 different people. Or maybe you’d like to connect with 10 industry acquaintances in order to deepen your relationship with them.
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Practical Tips: Manage First Impressions

It takes 30 seconds for someone to form an impression of you and 18 subsequent interactions for them to change it. Make sure you’re sending the right message at holiday time by considering these tips:

Stay in Control
If you’re going to drink at parties, stay in control. Alternate an alcoholic drink with club soda and lime. It will look like a cocktail and keep you from over-imbibing.
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The last thing I want to do during the holidays is attend the company's holiday shindig. Do I have to? J.W., Albuquerque, NM

Well, based on how you asked the question, I think it’s clear that you’re not looking forward to it! No one has to do anything, but it’s important to understand that every action has consequences. As long as you’re prepared to deal with them, then make the decision that you believe is right for you.
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About Us: Our Corporate Life LLC (OCL) is a company that offers a new system for reducing unnecessary workplace suffering caused by the organizational, interpersonal, and ethical issues of our time. It is founded on the belief that adhering to core human values and achieving business success are always compatible. Working with both companies and individuals, OCL helps create solutions that enable corporate employees at every level to optimize profits while enabling them to thrive in the corporate environment. OCL was founded by Amanda Mitchell to help meet the needs of people working in corporate America during this transformative moment in our nation's history. The OCL system reflects her experience and insight gained from a 20–year corporate career working with Fortune 500 companies, and as an executive coach to senior–level corporate executives.